Council of Trade Unions locks building after getting ‘concerning’ flak about anti-Luxon ad

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) has locked its Wellington office while it remains “a little bit concerned” about a member of the public’s response to a controversial political ad.

CTU General Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges said they received “the communication” yesterday afternoon and reported it to police immediately.

“I don’t want to [detail what the communication was] because I don’t wan to give it any air, to be perfectly honest,” Ansell-Bridges said.

“This isn’t where our focus is,” she said, “our focus is very much on the campaign and making sure the concerns we’re raising are heard and understood by New Zealanders.”

Ansell-Bridges said the CTU had received “really positive” feedback to its campaign so far, which has featured a front-page advertisement in Monday morning’s Herald.

The ad features a black-and-white image of National Party leader Christopher Luxon above the words: “Out Of Touch. Too Much Risk.”

National campaign chairman Chris Bishop criticised the ad, saying it was a “nasty American-style attack ad.

“Serious questions need to be asked of Chris Hipkins about how much he knew of his union mates’ relentlessly negative and scurrilous campaign,” Bishop said.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins hit back, saying, “The National Party and their surrogates, the Taxpayers’ Union, Groundswell, Hobson’s Pledge and so on have been attacking me since the day I took on the job.

“We have a pretty, nasty despicable attack on Nanaia Mahuta – the Taxpayers’ Union did that one,” he said.

“I think it [the response] is incredibly thin-skinned.”

Hipkins said National was complaining about the negative ads to distract from questions over the costing of its tax policy.

“I don’t believe we are running a negative campaign,” Hipkins said.

Ansell-Bridges said there had been “mixed views” of the CTU’s campaign.

“There was one piece of communication, from one individual, which just made us a little bit concerned so we have decided the prudent thing to do in this situation is inform the police,” she said.

“It hasn’t impacted our operations in any way.”

Ansell-Bridges said it was “business as usual” and the office now required a swipe card to access: “We are just taking precautions.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.